The United Nations reaffirmed on Tuesday that it rejects any attempt by Israel to redefine the Gaza–Israel boundary, stating that the so-called “yellow line” has no legal or political validity under the existing international framework.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric made the remarks following statements by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who claimed that the military line established under the current ceasefire arrangement now represents a “new border” between Gaza and Israel. Dujarric stressed that the UN “firmly opposes any change in the borders of Gaza and Israel,” underscoring that the organization continues to recognize only the internationally accepted demarcations, not the line Israel seeks to impose.

He added that Israel’s reported move appears to contradict both “the spirit and the letter” of the ceasefire deal announced by US President Donald Trump. According to the UN, all official discussions concerning Gaza are conducted within the framework of the pre-existing border, not the temporary military zone division known as the yellow line.

Zamir, visiting northern Gaza earlier this week, argued that the ceasefire line splitting the territory should be regarded as a permanent boundary and asserted that Israeli forces would maintain their current military positions.

Under the ongoing ceasefire, Israel continues to keep more than half of Gaza’s territory under military control. The yellow line delineates the separation between areas under Israeli deployment and zones where Palestinians are permitted to move, effectively restricting civilian access and maintaining a fragmented territorial structure.

The ceasefire agreement, which took effect on October 10 under Trump’s 20-point plan, halted two years of Israeli bombardment and ground operations that killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children, and wounded over 171,000 since October 2023. The deal’s first phase includes the release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian detainees, alongside commitments to reconstruct Gaza and institute a new governing mechanism excluding Hamas.

The UN’s rejection of the yellow-line proposal underscores growing international concern that Israel’s unilateral attempts to reshape Gaza’s map could undermine the ceasefire framework and impede broader diplomatic efforts for a lasting settlement. ILKHA)